Tony Zentgraf
Flavors explode with the smoky spice of the chipotle peppers, sweetness of the tomatoes and onions with cilantro. Enjoy this Quick Restaurant Style Chipotle Salsa with chips, burrito, tacos, or spread on a quesadilla. Use it as a topping for a breakfast scramble or put it in a breakfast burrito.
What is a Chipotle Pepper?
Chipotle Peppers are found in many forms: dried pods, ground for powder, chipotle flakes, and even processed with adobo sauce and canned. Many times recipes call for either ground chipotle powder or chipotles in adobo sauce.
Chipotle Peppers are jalapenos that are left on the plant until they reach their ripe red color. Mostly fresh jalapenos we find in the store are green and are actually not a ripe pepper. The jalapeno peppers also develop a fruity sweetness as it develops the red color and ripens.
Smoking the Jalapenos
Once they are picked they are smoke dried. Many times the wood used is pecan but depending on the commercial process it may vary depending on the company.
The jalapenos are smoke dried to about 10% of their original weight. The final pepper has about the same hydration as a raisin. From that point the pepper is either kept dry, processed for powder or flakes or canned with adobo.
Adobo Sauce
Adobo sauce generally is made from a mix of ground chiles, vinegar, sugar, garlic and Mexican oregano but can vary depending on the recipe.
Because of the spicy earthiness of the chipotle pepper, I like to use the pepper in powdered form or chipotle in adobo sauce.
Take a look at the Southwest Sweet Potato Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette recipe.
I use chipotle powder in the mix tossed with the sweet potatoes before roasting. It gives them a subtle spice that pairs well in the vinaigrette.
Enjoy some chips with this Quick Restaurant Style Chipotle Salsa!
Quick Restaurant Style Chipotle Salsa (GF) (V)
Print RecipeRecipe Multiplier
- 1 ea Can of Whole or Diced Tomatoes 28 oz (Roasted tomatoes or non roasted)
- 1 ea Medium Yellow Onion 1" chopped (1/4 of the onion cut ¼" dice to add at the end)
- 3 ea Chipotle Pepper whole
- 1 tbsp Adobo Sauce from Chipotle Pepper can
- 2 ea Juice of 2 Limes
- 1 cup Cilantro loosely packed(one handful) (have some chopped to add at the end)
- 2 tsp Granulated Garlic
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt to taste
Instructions
Making the Salsa
- In a food processor, add the canned tomatoes, onions and chipotle pepper.
- Pulse the food processor to chop the tomato, onion and pepper.
- Add the lime juice and granulated garlic, pulse to combine.
- Grab a handful of cilantro and add to the bowl. Pulse to break down the cilantro.
- Adjust seasoning with granulated garlic and Kosher salt if needed.
- Add the ¼" diced onion and chopped cilantro. Mix to combine. Enjoy!
